Dudley
A Macon County board member has announced his run for the 51st state senate seat.
Democrat Tim Dudley made his announcement flanked by State Sen. Bill Haine (D-Alton) and State Rep. Jay Hoffman (D-Collinsville) before a small crowd in the rotunda of the Madison County Courthouse Monday morning.
The seat is currently held by State Sen. Kyle McCarter (R-Lebanon). McCarter has held the seat since last year. He was appointed to fill the unexpired term of former State Sen. Frank Watson, a Republican from Greenville.
Dudley, the current chairman of Macon County's Education, Environment, Health and Welfare Committee, spoke briefly to the crowd and those who stopped to watch from the court house's second floor about the need for jobs and support for small businesses throughout Madison County.
"Like a lot of people, I've been there," Dudley said, referring to the continued difficulties faced by county residents in the aftermath of the recession. "I've struggled...I've lost my job before. We're going to bring this state back."
He continued speaking about the need for tax restructuring to aid small businesses and the need to create more job opportunities in an area with over 10 percent unemployment.
Dudley has already received endorsements from the Illinois AFL-CIO, Illinois Federation of Teachers, and other groups.
In addition to his work on the Macon Board, Dudley has served as a trustee of Richland Community College and the board of directors for Brush College LLC.
Dudley lives in Decatur. He is married with two sons.